New Zealand to Demonstrate Autonomous Car

Tauranga, New Zealand, is hosting a three-day national conference for the New Zealand Local Authority Traffic Institute – known as Trafinz, which will include a demonstration of a self-driving car — the first event of its kind in New Zealand, according to Sunlive.

Volvo and Trafinz aim to demonstrate an autonomous vehicle in action on November 18 – the day the conference concludes, according to the report.

The New Zealand Transport Agency and Ministry of Transport have been working with car manufacturer Volvo and Trafinz to ensure the trial will operate within the law, including appropriately managing any safety risks, according to the report.

The vehicle will self-drive on a 10km-15km stretch of public road in Tauranga using sophisticated technology to navigate it – with driver interaction only required at the halfway-point of the trip, according to the report.

The demonstration will take place in a “real world” environment with other motorists, according to the report.